David Collins Has Some Nice Things To Say and Miss Friend’s Class 1950-1951

I wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your blog. I read it almost daily and like that it keeps me up on what’s happening in my old hometown.

I grew up just over the Cut Bridge, on Stage Fort Avenue, in the 1940’s and 50’s. My family moved to Connecticut the week I turned 16 because my father’s job as a buyer at LePage’s was phased out in one of the take-overs in the early 60’s.

I taught school in Connecticut and have now retired to Florida. However, as other writers to your column have said, you may leave Gloucester but Gloucester never leaves your heart.

You had a picture recently of your mother and her friends at a gathering. I am sending along a picture from a gathering in 1950-1951 which may have your father or perhaps an uncle in it.

It is of my kindergarten class at Miss Georgia Friend’s house on Riggs Street. She ran the school (back when kindergartens were not a part of the public school system). Mrs. Grace Andrews was also a teacher there. I believe Mrs. Andrews’ daughter was the Elizabeth Andrews Godfrey whose passing was mentioned in the Gloucester obituaries earlier this month.

Both Miss Friend and Mrs. Andrews were related to each of my parents whose families had been from the Cape Ann area for generations.

On the backside of the photo are listed many of the kids in the picture. I am the first boy standing on the left (#1). My mother was usually amazing with names and spelling but seems not to have known a couple and had trouble spelling some, among them Ciarametaro and Ciaramitaro.

All these years later I am afraid I remember only a couple of the others in the photo. For certain I remember Diana Bell (#9) who went with me through almost all the school years from West Parish to GHS and was at the Universalist Church Sunday School with me for a while, too.

I also remember John Ciarametaro (#6) and Mary Ciaramitaro (#2), if these are the people of that name who were in the GHS class of 1963, the class I would have graduated with had we not moved at the end of my sophomore year.

So, Joey, I was just wondering if any of your family is pictured. Also, if perhaps the Joseph Frontiero (#18) is related to Paul?

Again, I really appreciate the effort you and the others put into Good Morning Gloucester.

Thanks,

David Collins

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11 comments

are you the
david Collins who lived just up the hill from Western Avenue near the field? Did you know Sandra Cotaldo & Donna Douglas & Jean Millett. I’m afraid your Mother did not like us very much.
I always wondered what ever happened to you if you are the same David?

Hi, Jean! Yes, it’s me!
Good to hear from you after all this time.
As for my mother, I think she was really upset that you and I took it upon ourselves to walk home the 2.5 or so snow-covered miles from West Parish one winter day when we were only six years old and in the first grade – and she was in the hospital. I think she just never forgot, nor quite got over, that dangerous little incident of rebellion on our parts. I can still remember the shocked look on your sister Lesley’s face as the bus for the older kids passed by us a good while later on Essex Avenue and we were nowhere near home yet!
Sorry to read about your mother’s passing earlier this year, Jean. I really liked her.

Yes David I do remember it well! I think it was my second road trip. The first was a trip to my sister’s school at the top of the hill on the OTHER side of Western Ave. Where are you in Florida? Donna Douglas Mineo winters down there & my brother Garth now lives in the sunshine state also. I live in Asheville NC. We have a shop here & an internet catalog see it at earthguild.com.
Good to hear from you I have wondered over the years what ever happened to you
Blair

Cool picture…..I think #22 is Suzanne Patteson!
I’ve sent this on to her ~ I don’t remember her going to Miss Friend’s, I know we were together
for at least one year at Mrs. McNiff’s ~ we walked through the field from Grapevine Road.

Hi David – I remember you well. That picture brings back a lot of memories – I have the same picture on my wall – it was my birthday that we were celebrating. Number 10 is Billy Daily. And Joe Ciarametaro and Joe Frontiero and I are all first cousins. Thanks for posting, I got a big kick out of it! John Ciarametaro

Thank you David! Ms Friend was one of the best teachers I ever had for nursery/kindergarten in her home. And I remember her great partner teacher! How did we ever stay still that long for the photo! I remember our great field trip across the “Cut Bridge” and looking down at the Annisquam River between the slats on the bridge and wonderful that was! And we played music and had so much fun with art! And Ms Friend’s old piano she played songs!

David, you just reminded me of the time I got onto a diff. school bus leaving West Parrish when I was around 7 or 8, as my classmate convinced me I should play at her house that afternoon, and that her dad would give me a ride home. It ended badly, when her mother said THAT wasn’t going to happen, (I can’t remember why) and I was now “stranded, and in tears.” Fortunately, my uncle lived on Bond Street, also, so he gave me a ride home to Riverdale Park, then a Veteran’s Park, when he got home from work, and “all’s well that ended well.” I got a stern lecture on when I got home! — Leslie Young
Class of ’64, Exeter High

I loved seeing this picture and reading the names and comments. I remember Miss Friend and Mrs. Andrews because they both took art lessons from my grandmother Nelle Sieg in Rockport. I remember going to Miss Friend’s house for lunch after an outing to paint. Miss Friend was such a sweet lady. I graduated from Rockport in 1966 but I remember many of the people in the picture. Thank you for sharing.

While I saw some of the comments to my email to Joey earlier on, I am sorry I didn’t see the comments from the three of you until just recently. Thank-you for your responses. It was soooo good to hear from all of you! I have a hard time believing over 50 years have passed since I last saw you at GHS. I remember you each so vividly and so warmly!

Thanks again!

And thanks again, too, to Jean (Blair) and to Judith, Cynthia and Leslie for writing.

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As long as supplies last if any GMG folks want a bumper sticker but can't drop down the dock, just send a self addressed and stamped envelope longer then 7 and a half inches and I'll drop one in the mail for you.

Send the self addressed and stamped envelope to the dock at 95 East Main St Gloucester Ma 01930 care of Joey (put my name in big letters to make sure it gets to me)

Free GMG Gloucester Sticker

As long as supplies last if any GMG folks want a bumper sticker but can't drop down the dock, just send a self addressed and stamped envelope longer then 7 and a half inches and I'll drop one in the mail for you.

Send the self addressed and stamped envelope to the dock at 95 East Main St Gloucester Ma 01930 care of Joey (put my name in big letters to make sure it gets to me)